The Orix Buffaloes announced that they reached agreements with Bryan Bullington (34) and Tony Blanco (34). Bullington was assigned the number 27, Blanco the number 42.

The Buffaloes also finalized terms with Brandon Dickson (30), Alessandro Maestri (29), and Esteban German (36).

The media is reporting that Bullington agreed to a one-year deal worth 150 million yen and Blanco a two-year deal worth 500 million yen. Maestri signed a one-year deal worth thirty million yen. German and Dickson will be in the final years of two-year deals -- German's deal is worth 100 million yen and Dickson's sixty million yen.

Kenta Maeda (left side) participated in workouts at Mazda Stadium on Monday. He is still on track to make his next start on the 19th against Rakuten. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/16/2014 ... The start will be Maeda's first since the 4th. Source: Daily Sports 6/16/2014

Rakuten Eagles

Ginji (lower back) played in a Ni-gun rehab game on Sunday. He got the start at first and batted third. He went 0-for-3: G6, G1, L6. This was his first game since May 20. He could return to the active roster as early as the 21st. Source: Sports Hochi 6/16/2014

Softbank Hawks

Kodai Senga was taken off the active roster on Sunday with a tired right shoulder. Source: Tokyo Sports 6/16/2014

Orix Buffaloes

Esteban German sat out Sunday's game after he took a batted ball off his left knee and a foul ball off his left foot on Saturday. He should be okay for the Yomiuri series that begins on Tuesday. Keiichi Hirano complained of tightness in his left calf on Sunday. He should also be okay for the Yomiuri series. Source: Sponichi 6/16/2014

Kazunari Tsuruoka (left side) played in a Ni-gun rehab game against Softbank on Sunday. He was the starting catcher and batted seventh. He played through to the 5th and went 1-for-2. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/15/2014

Hiroshima Carp

Ryuhei Matsuyama (left knee) will be re-examined within the next couple of days. Source: Daily Sports 6/15/2014

Yokohama Bay Stars

Tony Blanco was taken off the active roster on Sunday after he hurt the back of his left thigh while running the bases during Saturday's game against Softbank. Source: Sanspo 6/15/2014 ... Blanco will most likely need at least one month for a full recovery. He might be able to return to the active roster some time in August. Source: Sports Hochi 6/15/2014

Sho Aranami was also taken off the active roster on Sunday. He hurt his right calf during pre-game fielding practice. Source: Sports Hochi 6/15/2014

Yakult Swallows

Yoshinori Sato (right shoulder) pitched in a game on Saturday for the first time since April 13, 2012. Of the twenty-one pitches he threw, eleven were in the 150km/h range. For Sato to make it to the active roster, he will have to throw 100 pitches in four to five games and be ready to pitch on six days of rest. Source: Sanspo 6/15/2014

Seibu Lions

Takayuki Kishi resumed pitching practices on Sunday. He mixed in all his pitches and threw eighty-four. If things go well, he could return to the active roster in time for a start on the 21st against Yokohama at Yokohama. Source: Sponichi 6/15/2014

Orix Buffaloes

Esteban German ran into a little bad luck on Saturday: he took a batted ball off the inner portion of his left knee while running the bases in between second and third during pre-game practices; and he fouled a ball off his left foot during his at bat in the 3rd inning. Source: Sponichi 6/15/2014 ... German was left out of the starting line-up on Sunday to give him some extra time for rest and recovery. Source: Sponichi 6/15/2014, Nikkan Sports 6/15/2014

Daisuke Nakai is no longer having problems with his right elbow and was added to the active roster on Friday. He started playing rehab games as a designated hitter in late-March and took to playing left earlier this month. In thirty-four Ni-gun games, he went 33-for-105 with seven home runs and twenty RBI (.314/.365/.581). Source: Sponichi 5/23/2014

Hirokazu Sawamura's (right shoulder) next Ni-gun rehab game will likely come on the 27th against Yakult. He is scheduled to go three innings. He could return to the active roster some time in June. Source: Nikkan Sports 5/23/2014

Hanshin Tigers

Shinobu Fukuhara (right adductor) is scheduled to pitch in a batting practice scrimmage at Naruohama on Saturday. Fukuhara could be close to a return to the active roster. Depending on how he is feeling on Sunday, he could make it back to the active roster as early as the 25th against Lotte. If he wants a little more time, he could also pitch in a Ni-gun rehab game against Softbank on the 27th. Source: Sponichi 5/23/2014

Seibu Lions

Fumiya Nishiguchi was taken off the active roster on Friday with discomfort in his left side. Source: Nikkan Sports 5/23/2014

Softbank Hawks

Seiichi Uchikawa was replaced by a pinch-runner in the bottom of the 6th on Friday against Hanshin because he felt "a jolt" of pain near his right buttock. It is the same area that has been giving him problems since late-April. He is considered day-to-day. Source: Nikkan Sports 5/23/2014

Orix Buffaloes

With a runner on first and no out in the 8th on Friday's game against Hiroshima, Eishin Soyogi hit a pop-up in the infield. Third baseman Esteban German and catcher Hikaru Ito collided in an attempt to catch the ball. German had a hard time getting up and was taken out of the game. According to the Buffaloes, he had a cut on his chin that required five stitches. He is a question mark for Saturday's game. Source: Sponichi 5/23/2014

Workouts on Sunday were moved indoors because of the rain. A number of position players, including Wily Mo Pena, Esteban German, Yoshio Itoi, and Tomotaka Sakaguchi, stood into the batter's box during pitcher bullpen sessions.

Hiroshi Moriwaki named Sakaguchi his captain during a pre-spring camp meeting on January 31. The team did not have a captain last season because Moriwaki wanted everyone to be a leader. He decided to go back to having a captain after the team finished in 5th.

The Buffaloes were presented with a number of local food items, including eight kilograms of Miyako beef, two kilograms of sea grapes, and two kilograms of prawns, during opening ceremonies on Saturday.

The Buffaloes announced that signed Brandon Dickson (29) and Alessandro Maestri (28) to extensions. Dickson agreed to a two-year deal worth an estimated sixty million yen and Maestri a one-year deal worth an estimated twenty million yen.

German reportedly signed a two-year deal worth an estimated 100 million yen plus incentives.

It may have taken the Giants until Wednesday to approach Yasuyuki Kataoka because of their concerns about his injuries over the last few seasons -- he dislocated both shoulders on separate occasions in 2011, had problems with his right wrist (TFCC) in 2012, and had left knee problems this year.

According to the latest reports, there is a good chance Aarom Baldiris will not return to the Buffaloes next season. The front office had been waiting to hear back from him, but without any word from his agent, they will now begin looking into other options, like Esteban German.

Baldiris made an estimated fifty million yen this season. Orix may have offered him a two-year deal worth an estimated 200 million yen. The front office is currently waiting to hear back from his agent.

Masanori Ishikawa was in the final year of a four-year deal. He will most likely sign a three-year contract extension with a variable salary. His salary for 2014 could be an estimated 160 million yen, down forty million yen from this season.

Yasuyuki Kataoka may seem like a redundant acquisition after the Hirokazu Ibata signing, but the Giants do have a reason for trying to secure both players. In Kataoka, they see a player that can provide some stability at second base. With Ibata, they see someone that might be able to help provide some depth at short behind Hayato Sakamoto while also providing other younger infielders with advice and support.

There is a good chance both Hideaki Wakui and Yasuyuki Kataoka will exercise their FA options. According to team officials, Kataoka is waiting to see how discussions go before he decides what to do. Wakui has more or less decided to exercise his option.

Esteban German is planning to return to Japan next season, however, he is not sure if it will be with Lions or some other NPB team (it may not even be Japan). It will all come down to how negotiations go.

Before leaving, he spoke to reporters and said, "I am currently negotiating with Orix, but the amount on the table is not where I feel it should be. I want to play for the team that gives me the best deal."

He also added, "It is not the number of years. I am also thinking about the Majors. I want to decide quickly so that I can focus on baseball."

The Buffaloes may have offered Lee a two-year deal for around 800 million yen. Orix may reconsider years or other options, but the 800 million is apparently the highest they will go for two years. They are now waiting for his reply.

"The amount on the table right now is not very good. There is not much of a change between the amount I got when I first arrived from Korea. That will not do. ... The team is important, but if I am going to make a living as a professional, then it is about how valuable they feel I am. I want to play for the team that places the most amount of value on my services."

Nikkan Sports provides similar quotes, but their versions make it clear that Lee will seriously consider heading overseas if an MLB team is willing to pay him good money (more than what any team in Japan is prepared to offer).